Method and means for obtaining balanced occlusion



Sept.v 23, 1930. T. MEssERMAN 1,776,474 l METHOD A ND MEANS FR OBTAININGBALANCED OCCLUYSIQN Filed April 2s, 192e Patented Sept. 23, 1930THEOIDOBE HESSERMAN, OB'V CLEVELAND, OHIO l METHOD AND MEANS FOROBTAINING BALANCED OCCLUSION Application ed April 28,

My invention relates to a method and means for obtaining balancedocclusion upon artificial dentures or plates.

Heretofore after the plates-were finished,

balanced occlusion had been sought to be obtained upon an articulatorwhich is supposed to simulate the motions of the human Jaws as near aspossible. With the aid of my device and by my invention, the articulatoris dispensed with entirely and the entire operation of occlusionbalancln is done within the patients own mouth. his is quite anadvantage and an improvement over the use of an articulator since it isimpossible to simulate the exact motions of the human jaws on amechanical device. The great defect and disadvantage due to the factthat the upper jaw is movable on the articulator whereas it is the lowerone of the human mouth that is 20 the movable 'aw is overcome by the useof my invention. he articulator makes the same motions for all sets ofplates while my invention enables the correct adjustment of the platesunder the individual motions of the particular patients ownjaws andunder his own masticatory stress. j

Accordingly the principal object of my invention is to obviate thedifficulties ,and unl certainties attending the old methods of obtainingocclusion of artiiicial dentures by using the patients own mouth insteadof an. articulator to achieve. perfect and complete contact of all theteeth. Another object 1s to obtain these results upon the plates in alltheir positions relative to each other.

My invention also includes all of the various novel steps and featuresof construction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter more definitelyspecified.

The invention will be more readily understood in vconnection with theaccompanying drawings, wherein my device is illustrated and wherein likecharacters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews. v

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a 'patients mouth showin thedevice in use;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

' the. device shown in Fig. 5.

- (not shown) so 1928*. Serial H0. 272,200.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of that part of the device which is mountedon the lower plate;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of that the device shown in Fig. 3. v

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of that part of the device which is mountedon the upper plate.

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of that part of part of eo Fig. 7 is a planView of a modified form of that part of the device which is mounted onthe lower plate.

The device is made up of two parts A and B, A being adapted for mountingupon the upper plate and B being adapted for mounting upon the lowerplate. The part A has an internally threaded nut portion l which has aplurality of integrally, formed, upwardly and outwardly extending 'legs2 70 .which are adapted to be affixed to the upper plate 16 by means ofwax 18. Extending through the nut portion 1 is a threaded bolt 3 with aknurled head 5 on its lower end. Integral withthe knurled head 5 is asemi- 75 spherical portion 4 which is adapted to contact with the Ipartof the device which rests u on the lower plate. A stop r6 may beprovided at the upper end of the bolt 3 to keep it from being detachedfrom the nut portion 1. In the form illustrated, the nut ortion and legsare shown in the form o an 'inverted tripod which is the preferred form.

If desired', the legs may be made adjustable as to 'adapt the device to85 use in mouths with exceptionally high roofs. It is preferable asshown to make one leg slightly shorter to allow forthe downward slopetoward the front of the upper plate. Another method (not shown) foradapting this device for use in various sized mouths would be toconstruct the nut portion 1 with a plurality of sockets to receive thelegs 2 which may be held in place by small set screws. Different sizesof legs may be rovided which may be interchanged accor ing to theattending circumstances.

The portion 4 is made semi-spherical so that parts A and B of the devicemay very readily assume the various positions with res'pect toeach-otherwhen the patient moves A'his jaws Lin the Inatural way.

. T e preferred form of the lower part B consists of a platform or plateportion 7 having a number of radial arms extending towards 'the sidesand front of'the lower plate and adapted to .support vthe platformthereon as shown.' The preferred form shows one front and two lateralarms 8 which have exsilver to conform'to Vthe teeth set into thelowerplate soas to rest thereon. This plate may be usedin lieu of thelower part vice illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 butin such cases differentplateshave to be cut for va'- n rions sizes o f mouths for which platesare made.

which the device is used may be'V explained as follows: y a Y lowerplates 16 and 17, respectively, means of wax 18, the shorter leg 2 of Aand t e front arm-'8 of B bein towards'the'frontof the plates. thecenter of t that the lateral arms V8 are about on a line with the firstmolars.` The plates are now '.put into lace in the patients 'mouth onthe upper an lower gums 14 and 15, respectively.. Irlhe bolt 3 is nowextended downwardly far enough so that the teeth will just barelytouchtowards the rear of the plates when the patient attempts to close themouth and semispherical portion 4 contacts with the platform 7 of partB. The patient is asked to move his jaws and when he does so carefulinspection 1s made to discover high points or cusps. When the highpoints, if any, are discovered, the plates are removed from the mouthand without disturbing the adjustment of the balancer, these hi h pointsare round down with a carborun umstone one y one and after itis thoughtthe oints are gone, the Y lates are replaced int e mouth and a' chec ismade to see if thepoints have beenentirely eliminated.- 'If not, thegrind.-v iviiglis continued until theyxliave disappeared.4

en the points vhave en removed, the plates are replaced in the mouth andthe bolt 3 is turned inwardl a trifle and the patient is a ain asked toite or move hismouth whi e the operator looks for oints. The plates lareagain removed and t e points are ground 0E. The `plateaus replaced once.touches plat to each other. t

ordinary way with carbon occlusion testingI of the de- The method ofoperation andthe mode in Parts A and B are seared ontov upper and j Itis re erable'to-mount Aas near e upper plate as possiblewhile .B shouldbe mounted on the lower plate so more and the same operations arerepeated until semi-s herical vportion 4 no long orm 7 and the' jaws arefu el' ly closed., It is lfound 'when this stage has been I' reachedafter'having carefully gone through the described o erations, that allteeth contact perfectly wlth each other thereby giving complete balancedocclusion of the ldentures at all relative positions of thev jaws withrespect This may be checked in the paper. Fig. 1 of the drawings showsan intermediate stage of the operations in which two high points 19 and20 are disclosed. Fig. 2 shows the plates inV osition after perfectbalanced occlusion has een obtained.

When embedded in some plastic material atlixed to the roof and Hoor ofthe mouth, my invention ma be utilized in the mouth to detect traumaticocclusion. This is also contemplated by my invention.

While referred methods and means suitablethereor, it is to be understoodthat this is byl way of illustration only and that Lcontemplate suchfurther changes and Amodifications as come within the spirit and scopeof the appended claims. o

Having thus described my invention, I

claim :v

1. 'A method of obtaining balanced occhi;v

sion of dentures comprising, mountin the dentures ,withinthe patientsmouth, ho ding the jaws apart at a point of contact of the dentureswhile limiting further closing of-@tle jaws,

. causing the patient to move his jaws again and while so doingdetecting other high cusps,

and removing said other high cusps.

.3. 'lhe method set forth in claim 2 with the additional steps ofrepeating the operations set forthpat closer positions of the jaws withrespect to each other until balanced occlu- Asion and full contact ofall the teeth are obtained when the jaws are fully closed.

4. An occlusion balancing device comprisf ing a nut having a pluralityof spaced apart legs for attachment to one of a set of dentures, "a bolt adjustably threaded in said nut, and

causing the patient to move his jaws' and while so doing, detecting highcusps,and

I have `described and shown certain means attachable tothe other of saidset of i dentures ada ted to be engaged and cooperate with said bo t.

. v5. An occlusion balancingdevice comprisno. t.

ing a nut having a pluralitg' of spaced apart legs for attachment to oneo a set of dentures, a bolt adjustabl)7 threaded in said nut2 said boltbeing provlded with a. head having a semi-spherical portion thereon.

`7. AAn occluslon balancing device comprising a nut having a pluralityof spaced apart legs for attachment to one of a set of denl tures, abolt adjustablythreaded in said nut, said bolt being provided with ahead having a semi-spherical portion thereon, and means attachable tothe other of said set of dentures adapted to be engaged and coo eratewith the semi-spherical portion of sai bolt. In testimony whereof I aixmy signature.

THEODORE MESSERMAN.

